The Roman Baths

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 26, 2015

We packed a lot of sightseeing into one day. Visiting the Roman Baths in Bath, UK was one of the highlights of our visit to England. The historic complex is one of the most popular attractions in the United Kingdom and is not to be missed. 

During Roman times this pool was covered
 with an arched, wooden roof.

The 2,000-year-old ruins were a marvel of engineering! The self-guided tour, using audio handsets, allowed us to explore at our leisure. We wandered through the bathing temple and through the adjacent rooms completely fascinated by every aspect of the structures.

The fascinating Roman Baths, Bath UK.

The ancient Roman Baths were rediscovered and excavated in 1878 and were opened to the public in 1893. We learned many interesting facts about how the different rooms were built and utilized. We discovered how the hot spring water was piped into the baths, using methods that still operate today. If I am able to visit this area again in the future, I would love to spend some time at the Bath Spa to experience the healing waters of the hot springs. 

The great drain is viewed through a glass floor.

There are many interesting displays in the museum, such as intricate carvings and the largest cache of Roman coins ever discovered in Britain. The curse tablets were also quite fascinating. They were small leaves of lead alloy on which were inscribed curses invoking the goddess Sulis Minerva to punish the perpetrators of such crimes as the theft of money, jewelry, or even a bathing tunic.

Another view of the main pool.

The walls and columns would have been
 brightly painted in days gone by.

The Romans were undisputed as engineers and the Roman Baths are a fine example. We enjoyed learning of the clever methods they had devised to take advantage of the natural hot springs in the area, though the first shrine was actually built by the Celts.

One of many sculptures at the Roman baths.

That evening, we had to walk a bit before we were able to find an open restaurant. I hadn't realized that so many of the eateries in Bath would be closed on Sunday. Our meal at the Firehouse Rotisserie was pretty good. I enjoyed a Margarita pizza. Craig chose a burger instead of pizza, while Des nibbled on a duck confit quesadilla. 

Beautiful Bath

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 26, 2015

Bath is a beautiful place, even on an overcast day. The town sits in a little bowl of a valley, surrounded by gently rolling hills. It is known for the ancient Roman baths and for its lovely 18th-century Georgian architecture. We began our explorations by joining a little bus tour, much as we had done in London. From our seats atop the double-decker bus, we had wonderful views of the ancient streets and all Bath has to offer. We were very glad to have brought along our jackets, for the weather had turned a bit breezy and there was a definite chill in the air. 

We enjoyed the lovely view while awaiting the bus.

There are many beautiful buildings in Bath.

Our bus tour was very informative, and we tried to listen attentively to the audio headsets while also taking photos and admiring the view. The driver guided us to the rim of the bowl-shaped valley, where there is a hiking/bicycling path that begins in town. The drive was lovely. I admired the charming homes, many with beautifully tended gardens, and some with spectacular views of the town below. We learned about Bath stone, which is the pale, golden limestone of which the buildings and homes in Bath city centre were constructed. The limestone is very difficult and expensive to clean, and for that reason, a law was passed forbidding anyone to burn smoky materials in their fireplaces.

The limestone on this home has been partially cleaned.

When our tour ended, we warmed ourselves over coffee and hot chocolate in a nearby Starbucks. It was much the same as a Starbucks anywhere, though the decor was more fitting to the locale and there were several British items on the menu, including the bacon buttie. We walked around for a bit, admiring the gorgeous scenery and occasionally peeking into some interesting shops.

These old warehouses along the river in Bath
have been restored into apartments.

We found a little cafe selling Cornish pasties and decided to stop there for a bite to eat. The temperature had warmed, so we carried our food outside to a table and looked around the colorful street as we ate. Some very determined pigeons joined us. One of them almost landed on the table! We finished quickly and continued our explorations. Soon, we were admiring the Bath Abbey. There were many people hanging around in the courtyard in front of the beautiful old cathedral; one of them was strumming a guitar. Because it was Sunday, there were services being held in the Abbey, so we did not venture inside.

Who can resist a Cornish pasty?

The beautiful Abbey in Bath, UK.

Another view of Bath Abbey.

From London to Bath

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: April 26, 2015

The Hotel Apollo in London was a small, narrow row house that had been converted into a charming bed and breakfast. Its location on Argyle Street made it very convenient to both King's Cross Station and St. Pancras Station. I had read mixed reviews about the place and decided to take a chance as the price was quite reasonable. The bedrooms are tiny, but very neat and decorated in a cozy style. There was even a kettle in the room, and packets of coffee and tea. The bathrooms were clean and modern. It's a family business and the owners were very nice. We would be willing to stay there again.

Our small, cozy room at the Apollo.

We had the full English breakfast before starting our short journey to Bath. The breakfast room was in the basement, which had a large walk-out with stairs leading to street level. The windows allowed plenty of morning light to brighten the room. That meal was quite an experience! Our plates were heaped with bacon, sausage, grilled tomatoes, baked beans, mushrooms, hash browns, and a fried egg. A toast rack was brought to the table, along with plenty of coffee or tea. I was able to finish about half of my meal. I'm simply not accustomed to a heavy breakfast. It was certainly a meal we will never forget.

A full English breakfast at the Apollo, London.

Our next stop was Paddington Station, where we would catch the train heading west for Bath and Bristol. Desmond easily navigated our way through the London Tube (mind the gap!) to Paddington, where we boarded our train. We enjoyed every minute of the ride through London and into the countryside. The gorgeous rural scenery of lush green fields, peaceful streams, farms, and pastures dotted with fluffy sheep kept us mesmerized. We saw several little narrowboats floating serenely on placid streams and canals. As we neared Bath, Des spotted the chalk horse high upon a hillside. There are several of those in the area, and I'm sorry I was unable to get a good photo of one.

I had originally booked rooms for us at a hotel in Bath center, but due to a schedule change, we found ourselves at the Holiday Inn, about a twenty minute walk from the train station. The hotel is located beside a very old cemetery, which Craig and I had a view of from our room. It wasn't creepy at all. The ancient, ornate headstones were surrounded by flowers, bushes. and  tall trees. It looked like an interesting place to explore. We stowed our bags in the room and then the three of us set out to explore Bath.